“He personally met with big donors and utilized the literature in soliciting millions of dollars,” she said.

Mike Luther, who served on the board from 2004 to 2008, said the humane society was supposed to reach the 2005 goal through low-cost adoption, its new larger facility, and through spaying and neutering.

In their letter on Friday, the former board members expressed concern that the Humane Society has taken in millions in donations to promote pet adoption but plays a small role in helping save animals.

They complain other organizations do more with a smaller budget and staff.

Humane society statistics show the facility took in 3,273 animals last year. Of those, 2,332 were adopted and 510 unhealthy and untreatable animals were put down. Remaining animals were sent to other shelters, died on their own or are still at the society.

Former board members say they don’t understand how an organization with such a large budget, with 148 staff including seven veterinarians and 853 volunteers can only adopt out 2,332 animals.

One reason the humane society deals with so few animals compared to the county is because they don’t take in strays. They strictly deal with owner-relinquished-pets.

“It’s about quality, not quantity,” Goldstein said. “We are role modeling.”

Goldstein and current board President Fred Baranowski say their organization does not simply focus on adopting out pets.

“It’s not bang them in and bang them out,” Baranowski said “The education component is big here.”

The humane society offers a number of classes and community outreach programs that aim to strengthen the human-animal bond and teach children that pets feel pain and require food, water, attention and love.

Test questioned

Every dog and cat that goes through the shelter is subjected to a battery of behavior assessment tests in which their temperament is gauged. Dogs are poked with a dummy hand while eating food, to test reaction. An infant doll is introduced to it as well, and behavior is analyzed around cats.

Critics say the test is outdated, and that puppies and docile breeds don’t need the assessment.

“They do the behavior assessment in a manner that causes the animal to fail the assessment,” said Elaine Godzak, a former humane society volunteer. “They fail the animal for bogus reasons so they can euthanize an animal that is ‘untreatable.’ The public would rather see pretty lies like that, rather than the ugly truth.”

Goldstein says the accusations are hurtful and untrue. He says the tests are necessary and are done to protect the public. He scoffs at the idea that he should not test every animal, saying he has a responsibility for the safety of the families who adopt his dogs.

“How would you feel if a dog you adopted was not tested?” he asked.

Goldstein admits the humane society is an expensive and luxurious operation, but he says it is run in good conscience with high standard to create an environment that will produce good pets as well as good owners.

“Measuring ourselves just by output is selling ourselves short,” he said.